Endings
by GryffinRawr
Summary: Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition - Round 5, Reserve Seeker. Companion piece to Beginnings by MaryandMerlin. Charlie Weasley experiences his last few days at Hogwarts before going out into the big wide world.


**A/N:This is my entry as a reserve seeker for the Chudley Cannons and our character was Charlie Weasley in his seventh year.**

 **This is written as a sort of companion piece for MaryandMerlin's entry (keeper) which is called Beginnings**

 **Disclaimer: I am not J.K.**

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Endings

Charlie glanced around the stone walls that had been his home for the past 7 years of his life, they were warm and familiar as if he knew every nook and every cranny of the whole castle. It was so strange to realise that tomorrow he would leave them forever, and then at the end of the summer, he would be leaving Britain forever as well.

It was an odd mixture of fear and excitement, he knew that his life was about to change and that terrified him. He wanted nothing more than to have failed everything and have to remain at Hogwarts for another year but he knew that this, as all things, must come to an end. Besides, he was about to start the next exciting step of his journey: Romania.

Ever since that first meeting with Hagrid in his first year Charlie had known exactly where his life would lead. As much as it might pain his mother Charlie had an affinity for all things animal, especially dragons and now all his hard work had paid off and he had won himself a paid apprenticeship caring for them.

"Charlie!" His inner musings were broken by a loud female voice and his vision was filled with a swirl of pink. "I have been looking everywhere for you!" Nymphadora Tonks scolded him, but with a smile.

Charlie grinned up at her, "well I'm right here mouse. Come have a seat."

"Charlie," she whinged, scrunching her delicate nose. "That happened once, just once, all the way back in third year!"

"And I warned you then that I would never, ever let you live it down!" he laughed easily dodging her attempts to hit him. "I'm a seeker mouse, my reactions are fantastic, you'll never ever catch me."

"One of these days Weasley, one of these days I'll get you."

"You may try," he smirked throwing an arm over her shoulder.

They had certainly come a long, long way since first year. Tonks had been his first friend when he was too shy to talk to anyone. She had forced that bright sunshiny personality on to him and he had never looked back. He certainly wasn't half as shy anymore either.

A group of Ravenclaws stood gossiping in the corner of the courtyard and Charlie caught a petite dark haired girl trying to subtly stare at him. He threw her a wink and a smile, grinning wolfishly at the way she turned pink in delight at his attention.

"Leave the poor girl alone," Tonks grumbled observing the exchange. She drove a thin, pointy elbow into his side and he coughed, releasing her as she winded him. You and I both know that you aren't going to settle with any one girl so let's not try and break any hearts before we leave tomorrow. Now," she declared decisively, "I'm hungry and you're coming with me."

Tonks marched off, pink hair flowing after her, and Charlie had no choice but to follow where that girl's stomach led.

X

"Students of Hogwarts you have served your time here well and I speak for the whole teaching body when I say we are very proud of you," Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood at the front of the hall, the rest of the student body was sat at the four long tables after the feast. The graduating seventh years however clustered together in the central aisle, just as they had at the beginning of their time in Hogwarts.

Charlie stood shoulder to shoulder with Tonks and they shared secret smiles every few minutes as the old but wise teacher droned on about their successful student careers and the hopes that they might have for the future. He looked around at his fellow graduates and could see several girls were clinging to each other and crying whilst others looked like they might be sick. He knew that they were all worried about what they would do next it seemed that he was the only one with a solid plan.

"Now, without further ado…" boomed Professor Dumbledore, "to the boats!"

A ripple of excitement ran through the whole school as the seventh year students turned on heel and began to stream out of the great hall, out of the castle and down to the lake where the enchanted boats were waiting to carry them to the Hogwarts express one final time.

As everyone scrambled into the boats Charlie stopped and turned around, it was a light summer evening but the castle was still all lit up with thousands of enchanted candles, it was still one of the most awe inspiring sights that he had ever seen. He felt a pang in his heart as the thread that would always tie him to this place tightened and a lump rose in his throat.

"Charlie!" he turned slightly to see Tonks in a boat with two other Gryffindors, "come on or we'll miss the train!"

He nodded his understanding and turned back for one last look.

"Goodbye," he whispered sending his deepest thanks to the school that had made him who he was today.

He turned and jogged down on to the shore of the lake, sinking slightly into the sand as he clambered into the old slightly damp boat and took his seat. Tonk slid a cold hand into his and squeezed tightly and then they were off.

On to greener pastures.

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